Caleb Ewan followed up Monday's opening time trial (pictured) by winning stage two of the Tour of the Basque Country. Javier Linares Misioner/Alamy Live News
Cycling
Caleb Ewan shows form to win sprint finish at Tour of Basque Country
Irish duo Ben Healy and Eddie Dunbar stay 11th and 31st in GC after the second of six stages.
CALEB EWAN FLEW past his rivals for a clear win on stage two of the Tour of the Basque Country on Tuesday after a flat run from Pamplona ended with a 70kph dash to the line at Lodosa.
With all but three of the 167 starters crossing the line in the main bunch, there was practically no change in the general classification.
Soudal-Quick Step’s Maximilian Schachmann retained the overall lead ahead of Team UAE’s Joao Almeida and Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull.
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Ireland’s Ben Healy is 11th, just 18th seconds behind Schachmann, while Eddie Dunbar is 31st, 44 seconds off the lead.
The bunch sprint triumph was a second win of the season for the 30-year-old Ewan, who joined Ineos in the close season.
“The team got me into a good position. I was fourth wheel when we came round that final bend,” said Ewan, known as “the pocket rocket” due to his 5-foot-5 stature.
The finish line came after a kilometres-long motorway stretch and the peloton flew into the final 400m.
A long-range breakaway was caught just outside town but Visma’s Victor Campenaerts ended up crashing in that chase and looked ragged and in agony on the roadside.
The incident sparks painful memories of last year’s Tour of the Basque Country when a downhill fall caused by tree roots on the road took out Visma’s Jonas Vingegaard, who spent two weeks in hospital.
With four hilly or mountainous stages remaining, Wednesday’s stage three from Zarautz to Besain serves up seven climbs over a 153km route, the last hill is just 1.4km long, but parts are at a 16.5 percent incline.
“Tomorrow we hit the hills and stage three will be a crucial one,” Schachmann said after picking up his yellow race leader’s jersey.
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Caleb Ewan shows form to win sprint finish at Tour of Basque Country
CALEB EWAN FLEW past his rivals for a clear win on stage two of the Tour of the Basque Country on Tuesday after a flat run from Pamplona ended with a 70kph dash to the line at Lodosa.
With all but three of the 167 starters crossing the line in the main bunch, there was practically no change in the general classification.
Soudal-Quick Step’s Maximilian Schachmann retained the overall lead ahead of Team UAE’s Joao Almeida and Florian Lipowitz of Red Bull.
Ireland’s Ben Healy is 11th, just 18th seconds behind Schachmann, while Eddie Dunbar is 31st, 44 seconds off the lead.
The bunch sprint triumph was a second win of the season for the 30-year-old Ewan, who joined Ineos in the close season.
“The team got me into a good position. I was fourth wheel when we came round that final bend,” said Ewan, known as “the pocket rocket” due to his 5-foot-5 stature.
The finish line came after a kilometres-long motorway stretch and the peloton flew into the final 400m.
A long-range breakaway was caught just outside town but Visma’s Victor Campenaerts ended up crashing in that chase and looked ragged and in agony on the roadside.
The incident sparks painful memories of last year’s Tour of the Basque Country when a downhill fall caused by tree roots on the road took out Visma’s Jonas Vingegaard, who spent two weeks in hospital.
With four hilly or mountainous stages remaining, Wednesday’s stage three from Zarautz to Besain serves up seven climbs over a 153km route, the last hill is just 1.4km long, but parts are at a 16.5 percent incline.
“Tomorrow we hit the hills and stage three will be a crucial one,” Schachmann said after picking up his yellow race leader’s jersey.
– © AFP 2025
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Ben Healy Caleb Ewan Cycling Eddie Dunbar Tour of the Basque country